Love Letters to Literary Crushes

Over at FRANKIE WRITES, she's hosting a "Love Letters to Literary Crushes" in honor of...da-da-da-daaaaaaaa, the Twilight Saga Eclipse release date! (It's awesome, go see it!) Eclipse is my favorite book in the Twi series just because of the heated love triangle, and yes, I love it when boys fight over a girl. *Swoon* LOL Which brings me to my literary crushes:

Eric Northman from the Sookie Stackhouse series.

Ahhhhhh Eric, where do I begin? I heart him for sooooo many reasons, but the main reason is he was persistent. He wanted Sookie and wouldn't stop until he had her. Can you imagine someone who wanted you so much they would do anything to have you? Including, lie, cheat and steal.

I will admit, in book one, I loved Bill, but after his betrayal was revealed in the later novels, it's like Bill who? So here goes my first letter:

Dear Eric,

Pretend I'm Sookie!!

Love,
Annie

LOL ;)

My second Literary Crush is Baltazar from Claudia Gray's Evernight novels. Again, I must  be a twisted individual because I found the love triangle between Lucas, Bancia and Baltazar absolutely tasty! Lucas is sweet and yeah he's her true love and all that, but Baltazar is just hawt! The embodiment of tall, dark and awesome!! Matter of fact, he's so awesome he's getting his own novel in the Evernight series!

 Dear Baltazar,

You're Yummy!

Love,

Annie

I could Seriously go all day on literary crushes, but the fictional character who will always hold my heart is Dean Winchester (AKA Jenson Ackles) from Supernatural. I mean, come on, look at that! What's not to like. LMAO

Mistress By Mistake Giveaway!

Check out my sister blog, FICTION FLURRY, to win a SIGNED copy of MISTRESS BY MISTAKE by one of my AWESOME critique partners Susan Gee Heino!! She won the RWA Golden Heart Award in 2008 and has several books in the works. Her next novel, DAMSEL IN DISGUISE, comes out August 2010, so be sure to pick that one up as well!

Susan will also giving away writing tips on Fiction Flurry tomorrow, so be sure and check that out!!

ARC and Book Tours...Wanna Play?

Hey Gang!

Last night I was looking at my book shelf and it's getting massively overrun. Seriously, it's becoming a problem. I just ordered seven new books from Barnes and Noble that should arrive at the end of this week, thus increasing the problem. So here's what I am thinking: I would be willing to start a mini ARC tour with the books I am being sent. This means I could post a book up on my blog and any of you who want to read it would just have to sign up and I would mail it to you and then when your finished you pass it on to the next person. Of course, I'd have to set up some rules, and since I am affiliated with some ARC tour websites (Around The World Tours and Dark Faerie Tales), I'll probably copy some of their rules. I'm also thinking at the end of the tour, I can give the ARC away.

So what do you guys think? Is this something I should start? Anyone interested? See my side for more ARC titles. Comment and let me know what you think, so I know to move forward or not.

  

The Hallow by Jessica Verday

Title: The Hollow
Author: Jessica Verday

Published: Sept 1, 2009

Genre: Young Adult

When Abbey’s best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead…and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey has never felt so desperately alone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen’s funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey’s life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he’s the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen’s betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

My Thoughts:

I'm a little late reading this one, but I could kick my self for not making this one more of a priority! It's been a while since I've gotten my hands on a juicy YA paranormal that has a heavy coating of romance and mystery. I mean, I figured Caspian was a ghost or something, I just had to figure out how he tied into the Sleepy Hallow legend. The beginning was a little slow for me, but once she starts meeting up with Caspian, the book flies. I literally sat down with this 500 page novel and finished it in a two days. Yeah, it was pretty good. The only thing is, the ending leaves you hanging. BUT good news for me, The Haunted (The Hallow Book 2), comes out AUG 30TH!! So Yaya, for me! I guess, that's one plus for waiting so long to read this one. I just hope some loose ends get tied up in book two.  Pick this one up!!

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WIN ANGELFIRE ARC!!

Here's your chance guys to win an ANGELFIRE ARC from the fabulous Courtney Allison Moulton, just go to her >blog< to enter!!

CONGRATS to COURTNEY!!! :)

Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

It’s the summer before senior year and Polly Martin has sworn off boys. Who needs the hurt and confusion? Five recent breakups have left her with an unnatural knowledge of NASCAR, the ultimate hiker’s outfit, a student council position, the sixth highest score on the Donkey Kong machine at the mall, and a summer job at Wild Waves with ex #2 Sawyer Holmes.

Success seems a sure thing when Polly’s grandmother, the syndicated advice columnist, Miss Swoon, moves in for the summer. Polly almost doesn’t mind sharing a room with her little sister, Grace. Think of all the great advice she’ll get!

Everything is going according to plan except... Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy septuagenarian! And then there’s Xander Cooper. If only he wouldn’t keep showing up at Wild Waves with his adorable cousins every afternoon — and what is he writing in that little notebook?

No advice column in the world can prepare Polly for the lessons she learns when she goes on a group camping trip (with three too many ex-boyfriends). Polly is forced to see people for who they are — a blend of good and bad qualities that can’t be reduced to a list or a snappy answer in a Miss Swoon column.

My Thoughts:

First off where can I get a boy like Xander Cooper????? LOL Okay, sorry, but he was just added to my literary crush list.  Poor Polly, she is just trying to find out who she is, she's just been going at it the wrong way--through boys. I have a couple friends like Polly. They always change their own likes to fit their current flavor-of-the-month's tastes. I really liked this novel. It was a cute contempt that I think most girls can relate to. Just remember it's a contemp or there is no huge paranormal plot twists or anything, so it's completely character driven.

Books From the Library #2

Hey Gang!

Welcome to the second "Books From the Libaray" post! Here's what I picked up this week:

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey

dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable

 

WHISPER by Phoebe Kitanidis

I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

THE BODY FINDER by Kimberly Derting

"A serial killer on the loose. A girl with a morbid ability. And the boy who would never let anything happen to her.

Violet Ambrose can find the dead. Or at least, those who have been murdered. She can sense the echoes they leave behind... and the imprints they leave on their killers. As if that weren't enough to deal with during junior year, she also has a sudden, inexplicable, and consuming crush on her best friend since childhood, Jay Heaton.

Now a serial killer has begun terrorizing Violet's small town... and she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him."

----

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

FLIRTING WITH BOYS by Hailey Abbott

How to Run a Resort:

Make sure employees arrive on time with a positive attitude. (check)

Remember that the customer is always right. (check)

Keep your boyfriend and your most valuable guest from trying to kill each other. (oops)

Celeste Tippen can't imagine a more perfect summer. Her boyfriend, Travis, has a job at her family's resort, which means lots of quality couple time. Unfortunately, she forgot about Nick Saunders, the hot son of the resort's wealthiest customers. Every year, Nick flirts with Celeste, and apparently this year is no different, despite the boyfriend who's watching their every move. She assures Travis that hanging out with the resident bad boy is the last thing she wants to do. If only she believed that herself. . . .

CAPTIVATE by Carrie Jones

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

THE UNWRITTEN RULE by Elizabeth Scott

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like your best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like
him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

Blogger Is Driving Me Crazy!!

Blogger wouldn't let me access my site yesterday and kept saying the blog did not exisit, now I can finally look at my blog...all my comments are gone :( Anyone else having this problem????

Blog Award!!!!!

I have received an award from the AWESOME Karla Nellenbah (if you don't follow her, do it NOW)!!! Yayayayayayayayaya! I know, right! Winning an award is like eating birthday cake, it makes me smile. LOL

Since getting this award made me smile, I'm going to pass it along, so if you get one from me here's how to accept to keep the love going.

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.


2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 10 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order...)

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Okay so on to the SEVEN things about me:

1. Have a serious book buying problem. (Srsly, I need therapy!!)
2. Have become a slacker ever since I had a kid, like from OCD extreme to "what day is it again?"
3. Am known at my local library by name and always have one of those shopping baskets full of books waiting on me every week.
4. Was a bad student in high school. I think I skipped 32 days my senior year, and grammar, OMG I repealed reading like it was my personal Kryptonite.
5. Have only been writing Two Years.
6. Demon At My Door is only my second manuscript.
7. I have some rather dark humor, just ask my betas. LOL


On to the FABULOUS people who deserve more than just an award. (Sorry guys I didn't win the lottery so I can take us all on an Oprah style vakay.) These are in NO particular order!!!!

1. Karla Nellenbach, not just because she gave me the award either! She's been one of DEMON's biggest supporters and always does excellent blog posts.

2. Maryse, because she does some of the best book reviews I've found out there in book blog land! PLUS she loves all things supernatural and she's a really AWESOME gal!!

3. Becca--She's been one of my biggest teachers since I started this writing thing, and she always does the funniest blog posts!

4. Krista--Because she's been a great friend, and an even better crit partner over the past year!! And she's always willing to help friends out.

5. Laura--Because she reads just as much as me!!!!

6. Deb--Because she's my Demon Sister!!

7. Tahereh--Read her Blog it speaks for itself on why she gets one! LOL

8. Kaitlin--She has the most creative posts!

9. Steph---Because she RAWKS!!!!!!

10. Jenn W--Because she helped me through my 30k madness week with Demon!! *HUGS*

Want More Blog Followers?? Let's Blog Hop

The AWESOME Parajunkie is holding a blog hop. Her website has all the instructions on how to participate, and it's a great way to get connected to fellow book bloggers, so spread the blog love!

To everyone whose new: Hello! Thanks for stopping!

PS Here's the list of participants!

Books From the Library #1

I don't want to brag or anything, but I'm going to. LOL Circleville, Ohio has the one of the best libraries ever:

especially when it comes to the Young Adult/Teen section. (pictured below)

Pretty awesome, right? Bigger than the YA section at my local B&N and Waldons and a heck of a lot cheaper! LOL

The point of me showing you this is I'm going to start posting the "Library Books of the Week" just because sometimes I find new YA books on the new release shelf I've never heard of before and I want to share the titles I grab off that shelf with you. So here we go:

KJ Carson lives an outdoor lover’s dream. The only daughter of a fishing and wildlife guide, KJ can hold her own on the water or in the mountains near her hometown outside Yellowstone National Park. But when she meets the shaggy-haired, intensely appealing Virgil, KJ loses all self-possession. And she’s not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that they’re assigned to work together on a school newspaper article about the famous wolves of Yellowstone. As KJ spends time with Virgil, she also spends more time getting to know a part of her world that she always took for granted . . . and she begins to see herself and her town in a whole new light.

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet’s life is in tatters. Her mother has disappeared, and is presumed dead. The next thing she knows, her father has dragged Maggie away from their elegant Newport home, off on some mad excursion to Yellowstone in Montana. Torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her friends, from society, and verging on no prospects, Maggie is furious and devastated by her father’s betrayal. But when she arrives, she finds herself drawn to the frustratingly stubborn, handsome Tom Rowland, the son of a park geologist, and to the wild romantic beauty of Yellowstone itself. And as Tom and the promise of freedom capture Maggie’s heart, Maggie is forced to choose between who she is and who she wants to be.

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.

Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.

But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon inter­actions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.

Nikki Donovan, Demon Princess, is back--and stuck in a love triangle that's straight out of hell!

Fresh from finding out that she is a demon princess, fighting her aunt for her life, and rescuing her father from being poisoned, Nikki Donovan is looking forward to getting back to her regular high school life. But when Rhys, the handsome king of the faery realm, decides to show up at her school as a "foreign exchange student," Nikki knows this won't be possible. Couple with this a whole host of other problems: there's a new prophecy that claims she will destroy everyone. Her conflicted feelings for Rhys and her boyfriend, Michael, are getting in the way of their relationship. Her best friend Melinda just might be a demon-slayer-in-training, and her old crush Chris might know of her demon side. Throw in a field trip to none other than Hell itself … and Nikki's going to be hoping for a rain check on more than just her homework!

Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.

Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.

Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?

A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?

Okay guys, so my new goal is to post all the books at pick up each week so maybe you'll find something on here that catches your eye.

Happy Reading!

~Annie~